Til death do you part

If death doesn't end the marriage, divorce really could kill you

True love, security, familial pressure, even unplanned pregnancy – there are plenty of reasons why people decide to tie the knot

Now new research suggests that you can add another, not often considered reason to the list – people who are married actually live longer.

That’s according to a recent study conducted by Rice University and the University of Pennsylvania that found marriage is good for your health, and specifically, that divorced individuals are more than twice as likely to fall foul of avoidable deaths than their married counterparts.

The study of over one million people showed that being single can cut your lifespan significantly with researchers citing the important role of a partner during an emergency or to gently discourage any unnecessary risks you might otherwise take.

Divorcees are particularly worse off, being more than twice as likely to meet their end from the most preventable causes of death, such as fires, smoke inhalation, and poisoning.

In addition, singletons, as well as those with a lower education background, are more at risk of accidental deaths.

Unsurprisingly, the study found that when it came to the least-preventable causes of death such as air and water transport accidents, marital status had no effect.

The study compared 1 302 090 adults above 18 who survived or died from accidents between 1986 and 2006.

Marital status is influential in that it can provide positive support, may discourage a partner's risk and offer immediate support that saves lives in the event of an emergency. In addition, these individuals tend to be more knowledgeable about practices that may harm their health, such as excessive alcohol and drug use.